The Underground Ring
by Aifric
Summary: For three years Trunks and Goten make no contact. Trunks feels as if his life is empty until one night Gotencomes back asking if Trunks will take him back.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.  
  
Goten stepped out of the post office and looked at the envelopes in his hand. He could feel butterflies in his stomach as he looked at the various crests of Universities and Colleges decorating the envelopes. He had finally gotten the replies some of the essays and resumes he had sent several weeks before. Goten held them tightly as he started to run home. His heart hammered against his ribcage.  
  
Goten came in the front door of his house and closed it behind himself, Chi- chi came out of the kitchen when she heard the front door close.  
  
"Did you get anything, honey?"  
  
"I've got four replies, Mom." Goten's hands played with the corners of the envelopes. He bit his lip and walked to the couch.  
  
He dropped onto the couch and separated one letter from the rest. His mother came and knelt on the couch beside him. Goten began to read the top half of the letter to himself. Chi-chi watched as his smile dropped into a frown.  
  
Goten crumpled up the paper into a ball and threw it in the trashcan beside him.  
  
"It's okay Goten, you've still got three more there." Chi-chi patted her son's knee and reached for another letter. "Here, open this one."  
  
Goten ripped the end of the envelope open and pulled out the piece of paper inside. He again read some of it and frowned. Goten crumpled it up and reached for the next one. The next one was thrown in the garbage with the rest. Goten felt very nervous as he reached for the last envelope. Beside him, Chi-chi squeezed his knee comfortingly.  
  
The envelope had a crest of a yellow sunset at the bottom of a pentagon and the letters UBC above it stamped onto the back. Goten opened it and pulled the letter out.  
  
Chi-chi watched as a large smile found it's way onto Goten's face. "What does it say?" Chi-chi could barely contain the excitement in her voice.  
  
"Dear. Mr. Son," Goten recited happily, "We're are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into our Environmental Sciences Program!" Goten began to laugh and pulled his Mom into a hug. "I did it Mom! I've been accepted to the University of British Columbia! I'm going to Canada!"  
  
Goten felt his mom tense up and she squeezed him harder. "Goten, you're so lucky! I'm going to miss you so much." Chi-chi pulled back and kissed her son on the cheek. "You had better go tell your father."  
  
Goten ran out of the room and found his Dad outside.  
  
"Dad! Guess what!"  
  
Goku laughed and hugged his son. "I heard, I heard. I could hear you to screaming a mile away! Good work, son." Goku patted Goten on the back and gave him a hug.  
  
All through that night's supper Goten couldn't stop talking about all of the sites in Vancouver. "There's an ocean on one side of the campus, mountains on another and a forest on another! It must be so beautiful there! I just can't wait!"  
  
"So when do you need to move onto campus?" Asked Goku.  
  
Goten scanned the letter in his hand then looked up. "Well it says my first class is on September 2, but I'd like to get there at least two weeks early to get settled in."  
  
"But that means we only have a couple of weeks left to spend together." Said Chi-chi as she looked at the calendar. "It's the 15th of July."  
  
"Well Chi-chi maybe we should leave a bit earlier then we can go there with Goten and we can have a little vacation too."  
  
"Oh Dad, that would be awesome, we could go check everything out together!"  
  
Chi-chi nodded. "I'm alright with that but that means we need to start getting ready. We only have a month!"  
  
*****  
  
The next morning Goten got up, excited for this day. Today he was planning on telling everyone he knew that he got accepted to UBC.  
  
After breakfast Goten went to the city. He walked past the smaller houses until he got closer to Gohan's neighborhood. The houses began to gradually get bigger and he finally walked up a walkway in front of a big brick house. Goten knocked the door. Gohan opened up.  
  
"Hey, Goten. What are you up to today?"  
  
Goten began to tell Gohan his good news and soon they were in a deep conversation about the importance of environmental sciences. After lunch Videl came home with Pan and invited Goten to dinner so he could fill her and Pan in. At about 6 Goten left their house feeling comfortably full.  
  
Goten walked down a couple more streets and soon stopped in front of Capsule Corporations. Goten walked up the walkway and knocked on the door. Goten heard the sound of a dog barking. He was a bit surprised by this because the Briefs' didn't own any dogs.  
  
The door opened and Goten found Trunks holding a puppy in his arms.  
  
"Goten! Just the person I wanted to see!" Trunks left the door open and went and sat on the couch in his living room. Goten walked in and closed the door behind himself.  
  
Goten's thoughts of university were pushed out of his mind as he watched Trunks put the black and tan puppy down which then proceeded to rip apart a teddy bear on the floor. Goten sat in an armchair and watched the puppy.  
  
"What kind is it, Trunks? When did you get him?"  
  
Trunks got down onto the floor and began to play tug-of-war with the dog. "His name is Reichen, he's a Doberman. I got him last week."  
  
Goten watched as the dog growled and pulled as hard as he could on the teddy. Trunks pulled the teddy away and threw it for Reichen to run and get. "Oh. So is that all you wanted to see me for?"  
  
Trunks stopped watching Reichen for a moment then looked at Goten. Trunks stood up and sat back down on the couch watching Goten in the armchair.  
  
Goten shifted uncomfortably as Trunks' eyes went up and down his body.  
  
"Trunks?"  
  
Trunks snapped his eyes back up to Goten's and stared into Goten's eyes. Goten could see a determined look in Trunks' eyes. He could tell that whatever Trunks was about to tell him, he had been meaning to say for a while.  
  
"Goten I'm gay."  
  
Goten snapped back to reality and stared at Trunks. "What?"  
  
Trunks sighed and leaned back. "Goten. Listen to me. I am gay."  
  
Goten still stared at Trunks stupidly. "Say that again."  
  
Goten sensed the desperation in Trunks' voice. "Goten, I am a homosexual!"  
  
"Oh." Goten felt an awkward silence come over him and Trunks. He tapped his fingers on the chair arm and stared at things in the room. Goten finally looked back at Trunks. "Well that's okay, I guess."  
  
Trunks struggled to continue with what he was trying to tell Goten. "Goten, I also . . . I also like you. I want you to go out with me. Will you?"  
  
Goten watched as Reichen dragged a bone into the room and then began to gnaw on it. Goten ran his fingers through his hair and tried to not look away from Trunks. "I think I had better go Trunks. I have to get home."  
  
Goten slipped his shoes on and opened the door. He looked at Trunks. Trunks was not watching Goten. Goten saw his forehead wrinkle and lips purse. "See you later, Trunks."  
  
"You'll be back Goten, I'm not worried."  
  
"Right . . . Bye." Goten stepped out the door and walked away. Goten felt anger begin to overcome him as he thought about what Trunks had said. How dare he think he was gay! He shoved his hands in his pockets and began to walk faster as it started to rain on him from the now dark sky. Did Trunks think Goten couldn't live without him? Because he was horribly wrong.  
  
An hour later Goten arrived at his house, soaking wet. He had walked the whole way thinking about his and Trunks' conversation.  
  
Chi-chi opened her mouth to question Goten but he cut her off. "Mom can we start packing tomorrow? I want to leave for British Columbia as soon as possible."  
  
"Well that's fine Goten, but what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing Mom, just leave me alone." Goten stomped up the stairs and went up to his room. He closed his door behind himself and began to pull his wet clothes off of himself. He changed into some of his pajamas and climbed under his sheets. Goten turned on his radio so he wouldn't have to listen to his own thoughts.  
  
The next morning Goten woke up and went downstairs for breakfast. He put some toast in the toaster and began to butter them when Chi-chi came down the stairs.  
  
"How are you feeling today Goten?"  
  
"Better. Do we have an boxes to pack my stuff into?"  
  
"We have some in the basement. We can start packing after breakfast."  
  
All that day Chi-chi, Goku and Goten, packed all of Goten's stuff into boxes. Goten also phoned UBC and got a room on the campus. By that night Goten was ready to move to Canada. Goten phoned Gohan and invited him to a goodbye dinner Chi-chi was cooking.  
  
That night, as Goten celebrated with his family, he tried to forget about Trunks and what they had talked about the previous day. Goten laughed and talked with his family as they talked about their own University experiences. Gohan had a couple of funny stories about some of his old professors. Videl also had a couple of stories to share.  
  
After Gohan, Videl and Pan left, Goten sat down on the couch. He felt less nervous knowing he'd have a lot of time to get used to the new city before he had to go to school. He'd probably be able to find a part time job in that time.  
  
Goten went to bed early that night and he prepared himself for the trip tomorrow. As he lay in his bed, Trunks crossed his mind again. Goten fought his anger down. 'I will just wait until he is ready to apologize to me.' 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own dragonball Z  
  
Trunks brushed his fingers through his lavender hair and began to descend the stairs to the main level of the house. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and shorts that were neatly pressed but the hands that tied the bow to his shorts were deformed with many scars. His eyes were still the same ice blue they had always been but his face was etched with years of scowling.  
  
Trunks reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the kitchen. The dim light of the refrigerator glowed as he pulled the milk out. The only sound in the house was the cereal as it fell into his bowl. Trunks sat down at the table and began eating his cereal. It had been almost three years since he had last seen his family. After Goten had left . . . Trunks frowned and wiped up a drop of milk with his hand. Trunks hadn't seen Goten in three years. And not long after, his parents had kicked him out of their house.  
  
Trunks finished his pathetic lunch and then put the bowl in the dishwasher. He checked his watch. He smiled slightly and then headed to the stairs that lead to the basement. He turned on the light and the bright light filled the basement. At the back of the basement there was another set of stairs and a door that led outside. The floor was cement that slanted towards the middle where there was a drain.  
  
Along the walls were huge metal cages, each were approximately 4 feet by 5 feet. The walls of each cage were six feet tall. Trunks had designed and built it himself. As he walked closer to the cages, the large bulking shape of a dog could be made out in each cage. The dogs were silent as Trunks walked by them. Trunks passed the seventh set of cages. The left one was empty.  
  
Trunks reached a cupboard by the second set of stairs and opened it up. He pulled out thirteen bowls and a large bag of dog food. Trunks filled each bowl with two cups of food, which he measured out then began to distribute to the dogs. Trunks picked up a couple of bowls and walked to the cages. On the outside of the first cage there was a dusty board hanging from it with the name 'Reichen' scratched into it. Reichen quietly backed up and let Trunks place the food on the floor and began to eat when the door was closed.  
  
Trunks continued this with each dog and then went over to the empty cage. He pulled the sign labeled 'Kahn' off of the front and threw it in the garbage where other broken signs had been thrown into. When he was done with that, Trunks went back to Reichen's cage and unlatched it. The Doberman stretched and walked out of the cage. Reichen was full grown and reached up to Trunks' mid thigh at the shoulders. Trunks brought Reichen to the door up the stairs and they left the musty basement for the outdoors. Trunks' property was lined with a chain link fence and trees lined the inside of the fence. His property was gigantic and Reichen immediately went to do his business. When he was done Trunks returned with him back to the basement.  
  
The next cage he reached was a Great Dane with the name 'Basel' on the outside. Trunks let the gigantic dog out and Trunks did the same with this dog as he had with Reichen.  
  
The next dog was a Rhodesian ridgeback. This one was named Hannibal. Trunks patted the dog on the back where his fur went in the opposite direction up his spine as he walked out of the basement. Trunks continued to let out of their cages, each would walk up the stairs and out the door. Two Rottweiler's, a Komandor, a Bullmastiff, two Giant Schnauzer's, a German Shepherd and two large white dogs that barked until Trunks opened the cage. The last dog's deep booming bark filled the basement as Trunks put the second last dog away. Trunks walked to the front of the last cage and peered inside.  
  
"Raven, my love, it's your turn now!" The black Doberman pinscher was one of the two female dog's Trunks owned. As Trunks spoke the dog snapped and growled through the cage and jumped onto the gate. Trunks laughed. "That's my good girl. Come on out." Trunks let the dog out.  
  
*******  
  
Trunks slammed the back of the van closed and then went to the driver's seat. He turned the key in the ignition and the van roared to life. Trunks pulled out of his driveway and pulled onto a dirt road. He drove along this road for a little while and soon he could see the lights of the city ahead of him. The sky had begun to darken by the time Trunks reached the city limits. He pulled onto a side road and a warehouse filled his view.  
  
Trunks backed his van in front of the doors and pulled several leashes out of the console. He stepped out of the van and went to the back. In the back there were five dog kennels. He opened them and the dogs inside stepped out. The first was a Giant Schnauzer, the second was the Bullmastiff and the last was Hannibal. Trunks snapped a leash onto each one's collar and walked inside the warehouse.  
  
Inside there was a bustle of activity. There was a ring in the middle of the floor with people inside it sweeping it out. Other men had brought dogs and were walking around showing them off to spectators.  
  
"Hey Trunks."  
  
Trunks turned to the man who had said this. It was a short, balding man who sat in a booth by the door.  
  
"Hey Myles. How's business?"  
  
Myles laughed and smiled. "We've got some newcomers today Trunks. People are still placing the bets on you but I'd watch out for that man over there." Myles leaned out of his booth and pointed to a man with two white dogs. "His names Matt and he's got some Pit Bulls. I've never heard of him before but there is quite a few bets on him, they think he's got a good chance."  
  
Trunks looked at the man, sizing him up. "The dogs look good. But nothing Kane can't handle." Trunks said pointing at his Schnauzer. "See you later Myles."  
  
An announcer's voice filled the air, beckoning people to the side of the ring. "The announcer smiled and bowed to his audience. He stood in the middle of the ring with a microphone in his hand. "Welcome! Welcome to all new people! I'm sure you will find this sport as exciting as I have over the years!"  
  
The announcer was smiling and winking to everyone in the audience as he walked around the ring. He waved his free hand in the air, pumping the audience up. "This is our 12 th anniversary and we've got something new happening today! We have our regular competitors and we have some different guys today from out of town. I personally think you will all be impressed. And I suggest you think long and hard before placing you bets!" The announcer laughed and smiled to wild hollers of excitement.  
  
'Now here are our regular competitors. Joshua, come on out here, buddy. Joshua here has been with us for all 12 years." A gray haired man entered the ring, jogging towards the middle. He stopped by the announcer with his arms crossed.  
  
"Edson! This is one helluva man here ladies and gentlemen," The announcer bellowed out the name and a heavily tattooed man in a muscle shirt entered the ring.  
  
"Karl!" Another man stepped in the ring.  
  
"And last but definitely not least, Trunks!" The announcer rolled the 'r' and hissed the 's'. Trunks ran in the ring waving at the audience with a charming smile on his face.  
  
The four competitors stood in the ring and waited for the announcer to continue.  
  
"Now, I'm sure you have all checked with the schedule, the first fight starts in 5 min between Edson and Ross Boon an newcomer all the way from Nagasaki!"  
  
Trunks left the ring and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. The dogs he had first brought in were in kennels at the back of the building. He pulled a lighter from his back pocket and lit the cigarette. "Time to get Raven." He breathed in deeply and left the building to go to his van. The cigarette hung limply in the corner of his mouth as he opened the back of the van.  
  
"Come on Raven, it's your time to shine." He let her out of her crate and put a muzzle on her. Trunks snapped her leash on and re-entered the building. He pushed his way through the crown of men and the occasional woman to the side of the ring.  
  
As he walked closer, Edson came out of a gate to the ring. His dog, a bull terrier, panted and pulled on the leash trying to get back in the ring.  
  
"Hey Trunks, just won another one." Edson winked and walked away.  
  
A small man, not very old, maybe the same age as Trunks, stood on top of a crate the was attached to the ring. "Hey Trunks." He looked down at Raven and grinned. "Awesome, she always messes things up a bit, I'm glad you brought her."  
  
Trunks shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks, Joey." And he dropped his cigarette, stomping it with his shoe. He looked up to the back of the ring as he heard the announcer begin talking again.  
  
"Alright, we are now ready for the second match. Trunks Briefs has brought us Raven, is up against Matt Khrushchev with his dog, Thor!"  
  
The crowd screamed and sheered. Trunks took Raven's muzzle off and put her into the crate. On the other side he saw Matt shove Thor in.  
  
"Start!" Joey began to stomp his feet on the top of the metal crate in a slow rhythm. The man on top of the cage of Thor did to. The audience began to clap with each step Joey stomped on the cage. He started to going faster and faster until the building thundered with the noise. In side the cage Raven thrashed and barked.  
  
The announcer screamed for the dogs to be released. On command Joey reached down to the front of the cage and bulled the front off which left Raven with only the inside of the ring to go.  
  
Raven raced out of her cage and met Thor in the middle. Trunks watched from the side as Raven lunged ant the other dog and latched on. He smiled with pride as Raven latched on to the side of Thor's face and shook her head viciously.  
  
The dogfight went on as Thro held his ground. The fight reached over two minutes until the announcer called the end of the fight.  
  
Trunks entered the ring and saw as Matt ran to the dogs and reached them first. Matt wound up and hit Raven as she stood overtop of Thor bearing her teeth and salivating.  
  
Trunks roared with rage as Raven fell to the ground. Trunks ran in and punched Matt. "Get out of here, you basterd!" Trunks stepped in front of Raven breathing heavily. His brain heard the hoots and hollers of the audience as a quiet buzz.  
  
Matt stood up and rubbed his jaw. "You'd better watch it kid, I may be new here but I've been doing this for a long time." He strapped Thor's leash back on and pulled him to his feet. Thor limped after his owner.  
  
Trunks scowled and reached down to see to Raven. Raven growled softly as Trunks leaned over her. He strapped her muzzle back on and she quickly stood back up.  
  
*****  
  
Trunks closed the door to Hannibal's cage and left the basement. He flopped onto the couch and lit himself a cigarette. Trunks lazily breathed the smoke out and flicked the ashes in an ashtray. He raised the cigarette to eye level and stared at the burning embers.  
  
'I had never even thought of him in a sexual way. Not yet anyway.' Trunks pulled the cigarette to his mouth again and breathed it in. 'I was always attracted to . . . him. His smile, his sense of humor and fun, his lack of ego. And that night, he was so happy, proud of something, and I could have just not said anything and I would know where he is.' Trunks stood up and began to pace the room.  
  
'I must have sounded like an idiot. And then I lost my temper. I . . . I should have left well enough alone.' Trunks brushed his hair out of his eyes and stubbed his cigarette out. 'He was so beautiful, he must still be. That last time I saw him, it felt as if I was starving. In my mind I had reached out and pulled him toward me. I had leaned up his lips were dry, cracked. I gently brushed his lips with mine. And then he said, 'see you later, Trunks.'' Trunks sat back on the couch and felt tears come to his eyes.  
  
"And now what am I?" Trunks moaned and wiped his eyes. "All I do is go out, entertain a bunch of red necks and then I go to bed under my smothering sheets to jerk off for the fifth time of the day." Trunks screamed and felt the tears course down his face.  
  
"Oh Goten, I miss you so much." He whispered softly.  
  
Trunks leaned up when he heard a knock at the door. "Oh my god, who the hell comes way out here at . . ." Trunks looked at his watch. "8:30. Agh, how is it only 8:30?' Trunks wondered. Trunks lay his head back down on the arm of the couch and put his arm over his eyes. He groaned and stood up when whoever was at the door knocked again and then rung the doorbell.  
  
"Just a minute, I'm coming." Trunks walked to the door and opened it.  
  
And there he stood. After three years, there he was. Goten stood on the doorstep, he was wearing worn out jeans and a baggy shirt with his high school jacket zipped only halfway up. A backpack was slung over his shoulder.  
  
"Hey Trunks, I've had lot's of time to think about what you said, mind if I come in?"  
  
Trunks backed away from the doorway. "Goten."  
  
Goten grinned and stepped in the door. He looked around and dropped his backpack by the door. Goten stretched and walked to the couch and sat on it. "Nice place you've got here Trunks."  
  
Trunks closed the door and went to sit in an armchair. "What do you mean by you've been thinking about what I said?"  
  
Goten grinned at Trunks and rubbed the material of the couch. He looked up and smiled. "Don't worry Trunks, it's good news. Well the last time I saw you, you wanted to be with me. Well I've had a lot of time to think about it. After that day I left to university." Goten waved his hand at Trunks, which had a school ring on it. "I've got one year left but I've missed you."  
  
Trunks was so shocked at what he was hearing he just nodded along.  
  
"Trunks I was angry that night but after three years I've realized that all I have really ever wanted was you." Goten smiled.  
  
Trunks fumbled over his words as he tried to spit them out. Trunks watched as Goten nodded him along but nothing came out.  
  
"Trunks," Goten walked towards Trunks and sat on his lap. "This means that we're more then best friends now. Only of course, if you've waited for me to come to my senses." 


End file.
